University of Pittsburgh

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University of Pittsburgh
Image:PittSeal.gif
Motto "Veritas et Virtus"
Established 1787
School type Public, State-related
President Mark A. Nordenberg
Location Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
Campus Urban
Enrollment 22,471 undergraduate,
9,634 graduate
Faculty 1,548 full time
Mascot Panthers
Colors Blue and Gold
Homepage www.pitt.edu

The University of Pittsburgh is a state-related, doctoral/research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Ranked among the highest public universities in the country, it is frequently referred to simply as "Pitt".

The University was founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787. It was renamed The Western University of Pennsylvania in 1819 and took its current name in 1908. In 1966 it was designated by Pennsylvania as a "state-related" university. As such, Pitt receives public funds (currently more than $200 million per annum) and offers reduced tuition to Pennsylvania residents, but is under independent control. It is generally considered a public university.¹ Pitt's endowment is $1.36 billion (2004).

Arguably the most famous Pitt professor in history was Jonas Salk, inventor of the first polio vaccine.

According to the Philosophical Gourmet Report, University of Pittsburgh's Philosophy department is ranked 4th in the United States (tied with University of Michigan, Ann Arbor) behind New York University, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, and Princeton University [1].

Pitt's medical school, along with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, is a leading organ transplant center. It performs more kinds of organ transplants than any other institution. [2] Pitt is a major center of medical research; in FY 2004, it ranked seventh in NIH funding among American universities but was ranked 13th among hospitals nationwide by USNews[3]. Particularly topical is Pitt's strength in stem cell science. Additionally, Pitt is widely believed to be a key university in the development of a bioterrorism defense system. George W. Bush has, for this reason, visited the university twice during his presidency [4].

Pitt is home to the Cathedral of Learning, which at 42 stories and 535 feet makes it the tallest educational building in the western hemisphere and second-tallest in the world.

JURIST, an authoritative legal news and reseach website, is based at Pitt's law school and is maintianed by its faculty and students.

Pitt hosts progressive music radio station WPTS. The station's carrier current forerunner was founded by a student group led by Adrian Cronauer, whose career as a military DJ was famously portrayed in the movie Good Morning, Vietnam.

Pitt is tied with University of Georgia at #19 among public universities in the country by U.S. News & World Report in their 2006 university rankings edition [5]. It is also tied with University of Georgia at #58 among all national universities [6].

Contents

Location

The University of Pittsburgh campus is located in the Oakland neighborhood of Pittsburgh, just west of Schenley Park. The main campus is roughly bordered by Bouquet Street to the west and Bellefield Avenue to the east; Forbes and Fifth Avenues traverse the campus from west to east. The university also has regional campuses in Bradford, Greensburg, Johnstown, and Titusville. Carnegie Mellon University ("CMU") is almost adjacent to the campus, the two schools being located on opposite sides of Panther Hollow. Many Pitt professors also hold adjunct professorships at CMU.

Education

Image:TowerLearning.jpgBachelor's, master's, doctoral and professional programs are offered through the following academic units:

  • College of Arts and Sciences
  • College of Business Administration
  • Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business
  • School of Dental Medicine
  • School of Education
  • School of Engineering
  • College of General Studies
  • School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences
  • University Honors College
  • School of Information Sciences
  • School of Law
  • School of Medicine
  • School of Nursing
  • School of Pharmacy
  • Graduate School of Public and International Affairs (GSPIA)
  • Graduate School of Public Health
  • School of Social Work

The University Center for International Studies (UCIS) coordinates international education curricula, centers for area studies and centers on topical specializations in international studies. It does not give degrees but awards certificates of attainment to degree candidates in the university's schools.

The regional campuses offer undergraduate education. They permit students to take preliminary courses and relocate to other regional campuses or the main campus to complete their degrees. They also locally offer degrees and certificates as follows:

  • University of Pittsburgh at Bradford - Bachelor's, Associate's and Certificate
  • University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg - Bachelor's and Certificate
  • University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown - Bachelor's and Certificate
  • University of Pittsburgh at Titusville - Associate's and Certificate

Until 2005, the University was the academic sponsor of the Semester at Sea program; in June of 2005, the university severed its 24-year sponsorship relationship with Semester at Sea, citing safety and governance concerns. The University will continue to certify academic credit for participation in Semester at Sea through the Spring 2006 semester.

Athletics

Image:PittPanthers.gifPittsburgh's sports teams are called the Panthers. The Panthers participate in NCAA Division I (Division I-A for football) and in the Big East Conference.

The Pitt football team has won nine NCAA National Championships, in 1915, 1916, 1918, 1929, 1932, 1934, 1936, 1937, and 1976.

The football team moved into the NFL-grade Heinz Field in 2001 from their longtime home at Pitt Stadium, built in the 1920s.

The upper section of the Cathedral of Learning is illuminated after a football team victory.

Pitt Football has a long and glorious history. Tony Dorsett, Mike Ditka, Dan Marino, Tony Siragusa, Mark May, Beano Cooke, Johnny Majors, and Jimmy Johnson are just some of the alumni, coaches, and staff that have achieved prominence. Current NFL stars with Pitt Panther ties include 49er Kevan Barlow, Jet Curtis Martin, Cardinal Larry Fitzgerald, Charger coach Marty Schottenheimer, and Bucs coach Jon Gruden.

Former NFL head coach and Pitt alum Dave Wannstedt was hired in late 2004 as head football coach, to rekindle the the glory days of the 1970s and early 1980s for Pitt football.

Pitt's men's basketball team won national championships in 1928 and 1930.

Rivalries

Pitt traditionally has had a rivalry with Penn State University. Formerly independent powers of college football in the East, Pitt and Penn State played each other on an annual basis for state bragging rights as well as recruiting advantage. The rivalry started in 1935 and continued even when Pitt joined the Big East Conference in 1982. However, Penn State joining the Big Ten Conference in 1992, as well as disagreements between the two schools, caused the rivalry to end in 2000. While fans and reporters talk of restarting this rivalry, squabbles among administrators and coaches will prevent this from happening in the foreseeable future.

The Pitt/Penn State rivalry still exists in other sports as well as between the schools in general. It is a somewhat tense rivalry. "Penn State Sucks" is an unofficial lyric to the Pitt fight song, which is sung by students regardless of which school Pitt is playing. However, the Pitt administration recently eliminated the lull in the fight song where these words are sung.

Pitt also has a large football rivalry with West Virginia University that dates back to 1895. The annual contest is called the Backyard Brawl, due to the proximity of the two schools' main campuses (they are 80 miles apart and both along the Monongahela River) and the shared boundary between western Pennsylvania and West Virginia. The game is traditionally played on the Friday or Saturday after Thanksgiving during what many sportscasters call Rivalry Week, due to the large number of games between college rivals.

Also, Pitt is one of the few schools that has a longstanding rivalry with the University of Notre Dame. Pitt has played Notre Dame on a semi-regular basis since 1899, with never more than three years passing between contests since 1943. The two universities recently signed a contract for a game each season through 2015.

Of late, Pitt has developed a rivalry with men's basketball power University of Connecticut. From 2002 - 2004, Pitt and UConn played each other for the Big East title ever year, with Pitt winning in 2003.

[7] [8] [9]

Notable alumni

See also

References

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External links

Footnotes

  1. The other "state-related" universities in Pennsylvania are Pennsylvania State University and Temple University, which like Pitt, are both large doctoral/research universities, and Lincoln University, one of Pennsylvania's two historically black universities. Other Pennsylvania public universities are directly controlled by the state under the purview of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education.


Big East Conference
Football: Cincinnati | Connecticut | Louisville | Pittsburgh
Rutgers | South Florida | Syracuse | West Virginia
  Non-football: DePaul | Georgetown | Marquette | Notre Dame  
Providence | St. John's | Seton Hall | Villanova  		 Image:Big East new.gif

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